INTERACTIVE VIDEO ON DEMAND (IVOD)
First Claim
1. A method performed by a user control device for providing an interactive experience with video on demand (VOD) media content, the method comprising:
- (a) receiving, by the user control device, a user-generated signal that is representative of a response of the user to a first video sequence of the VOD media content that is presented to the user;
(b) in response to the user-generated signal received in said step (a), determining, by the user control device, one or more media control signals to communicate to a multimedia control device that will result in the playing of an appropriate video sequence of the VOD media content in order to provide to the user an interactive experience with the VOD media content, the appropriate video sequence being one of a plurality of possible video sequences of the VOD media content that are available for presentation to the user subsequent to the first video sequence; and
(c) wirelessly communicating, by the user control device, for receipt by the multimedia control device, the one or more media control signals determined in said step (b) for playing of the appropriate video sequence;
whereby the appropriate video sequence of the VOD media content is played in reply to the response of the user in said step (a) and the interactive experience with the VOD media content is provided to the user.
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Abstract
A method performed by a user control device for providing an interactive experience with video on demand (VOD) media content includes receiving a user-generated signal that is representative of a response of the user to a first video sequence of the VOD media content that is presented to the user; determining one or more media control signals to communicate to a multimedia control device that will result in the playing of an appropriate video sequence of the VOD media content in order to provide the user an interactive experience with the VOD media content; and wirelessly communicating the one or more media control signals for playing of the appropriate video sequence. The appropriate video sequence of the VOD media content is played in reply to the response of the user, and the interactive experience with the VOD media content is provided to the user.
61 Citations
35 Claims
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1. A method performed by a user control device for providing an interactive experience with video on demand (VOD) media content, the method comprising:
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(a) receiving, by the user control device, a user-generated signal that is representative of a response of the user to a first video sequence of the VOD media content that is presented to the user;
(b) in response to the user-generated signal received in said step (a), determining, by the user control device, one or more media control signals to communicate to a multimedia control device that will result in the playing of an appropriate video sequence of the VOD media content in order to provide to the user an interactive experience with the VOD media content, the appropriate video sequence being one of a plurality of possible video sequences of the VOD media content that are available for presentation to the user subsequent to the first video sequence; and
(c) wirelessly communicating, by the user control device, for receipt by the multimedia control device, the one or more media control signals determined in said step (b) for playing of the appropriate video sequence;
whereby the appropriate video sequence of the VOD media content is played in reply to the response of the user in said step (a) and the interactive experience with the VOD media content is provided to the user. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A method of interactively viewing, by a child, video on demand (VOD) media content, comprising the steps of:
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(a) storing, at a head-end of a VOD system, VOD media content, the VOD media content being organized into at least two child-oriented programs, each program configured to display, on a television, both video content for viewing by a child and menus of selection options for navigating of the program by the child, each menu of the program having at least some selection options displayed using child-recognizable icons;
(b) selecting a user interface component from a plurality of user interface components, each user interface component being specific to a respective one of the child-oriented programs stored at the VOD head-end, and each user interface component including a plurality of child-recognizable icons that are depicted thereon and that correspond visually to icons displayed in the menus of the respective program;
(c) coupling the user interface component to a remote control component having a control chip configured to send wireless control signals, representative of industry standard set-top remote control button presses, to a set-top box for controlling presentation of the VOD media content;
(d) viewing, by the child, the video content of the respective child-oriented program and a menu of selection options of the respective program as displayed using the child-recognizable icons;
(e) choosing, by the child, one of the selection options from the menu of selection options viewed by the child and displayed on the television using the child-recognizable icons;
(f) identifying, by the child, the icon on the coupled user interface component that visually corresponds to the icon, on the menu of selection options, that represents the chosen selection option; and
(g) pressing, by the child, the identified icon of the user interface component to cause the remote control component to send one or more wireless remote control signals, representative of an industry standard set-top remote control button press, to the set-top box indicating to the set-top box the selection option chosen by the child from the viewed menu of displayed selection options. - View Dependent Claims (28)
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- 29. The method of claim 29, wherein the software is provided to the set-top box via a removable memory card.
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35. A method of interactively viewing, by a child, video on demand (VOD) media content, comprising the steps of:
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(a) storing, at a head-end of a VOD system, VOD media content, the VOD media content being organized into at least two child-oriented programs, each program configured to display, on a television, both video content for viewing by a child and menus of selection options for navigating of the program by the child, each menu of the program having at least some selection options displayed using child-recognizable icons;
(b) displaying, on a user control device, a graphical user interface from a plurality of graphical user interfaces to the child, each graphical user interface being specific to a respective one of the child-oriented programs stored at the VOD head-end, and each graphical user interface including a plurality of child-recognizable icons that are depicted thereon and that correspond visually to icons displayed in the menus of the respective program, the user control device having a control chip configured to send wireless control signals, representative of industry standard set-top remote control button presses, to a set-top box for controlling presentation of the VOD media content;
(c) viewing, by the child, the video content of the respective child-oriented program and a menu of selection options of the respective program as displayed using the child-recognizable icons;
(d) choosing, by the child, one of the selection options from the menu of selection options viewed by the child and displayed on the television using the child-recognizable icons;
(e) identifying, by the child, the icon on the displayed graphical user interface that visually corresponds to the icon, on the menu of selection options, that represents the chosen selection option; and
(f) pressing, by the child, the identified icon of the graphical user interface to cause the user control device to send one or more wireless remote control signals, representative of an industry standard set-top remote control button press, to the set-top box indicating to the set-top box the selection option chosen by the child from the viewed menu of displayed selection options.
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Specification